Historical Traveler Reviews Pride Sun Village Resort And Spa Arpora

Great holiday!

from HOLIDAYREPORT

My husband and I returned on 24 April from 2 weeks at the Sun Village having had a great holiday. We managed to get a really good deal through Direct Holidays. This time of year it is very hot and humid as it is close to the monsoon period, the season ended at the end of April. I would say Sun Village is between a 3 and 4 star for a hotel in Goa which cannot be compared to a 4 star in somewhere like the Caribbean. Having said this it is clean, excellent food, pretty gardens, good entertainment and lovely friendly, polite staff - what more could you want? The hotel is built into the hillside so there are many steps to climb, from the lobby to our room on the 4th floor was 64 steps - this could be a problem and if you have any walking difficulties, I would not recommend this hotel. We did have a great view from the balcony though. We asked how much for an upgrade to our room and were told £25 each per night, we felt it was not worth the extra. An upgrade meant a free bottle of wine and champagne, bath as well as a shower and priority in the a la carte restaurants. The wine was free with the all inclusive package and we had no problems booking the a la carte restaurants. Ladies, take your hairdryers as these are not provided in the standard rooms.

There are many tailors in the area. I went to one immediately outside the hotel called Next. They made me three pairs of heavy silk trousers for £10 each. Take a garment you particularly like they will copy it for you. You can buy any pharmaceutical goods at the chemist in Calangute at a fraction of the cost at home e.g. Chloromycetin 10 ruppees, Zovirax 40 rupees. Taxis to the beach at Baga were 50 rupees and to Calungute 100 rupees from the hotel. (83 rupees to the £).

We met a lovely couple who own the Goan Botique at the end of the road. Celina runs the shop and her husband Agnelo is a taxi driver. Their English is very good and they are very friendly and informative. Celina sells lovely jewellery, very well priced. Angelo is a very good driver and his prices are very good. The shop is opposite Mackies Saturday market which is a great experience and many bargains to be had, do not take too many clothes or shoes as they are so, so cheap here. Leather sandals being about 200 rupees and cotton wraparound trousers and pashminas 100 rupees if you bargain hard!

You can spend the day on the beach outside one of the beach shacks and they will provide sun beds, towels and sun umbrella, boogie boards and bring you drinks all day and have lunch (e.g. king prawns, chips and salad) and the total cost is about £7 for two. Also it is great in the evening eating on the edge of the ocean and food is fantastic. Our favourite shacks were Oceanic in Baga and Goan Waves in Calungute.

The highlight of our holiday was the Jungle Book Trip. We were taken into the jungle where we went rafting down the river, bathed and washed the elephants, then went to a camp where we stayed in a mud hut for the night amongst the animals, danced round a bonfire with an excellent entertainer, rode the elephants and on a wagon drawn by Oxen, watched Dumbo the one year old baby elephant play, had lessons in yoga outside a temple and finally visited a Goan Village and the Village School where 18 children sang to us. Accommodation in the mud hut is very basic but it was an amazing, action packed two days.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable and memorable holiday. We usually holiday in the Caribbean but will definitely return to Goa and, if we can get a similar deal, to the Sun Village. Happy holidays!

Good but not for children!

from JKelley

We stayed at the Sun Village in April 2005,there was me, my boyfriend and daughter, the hotel itself was clean but basic, the staff were very nice and helped you in every way they could.

The hotel is really for adults as they have no entertainment for children and if it wasn't for 2 little girls my daughter met there i think she would have been bored silly!!

The food is average, but they do try, the al acarte restaurant and BBQ are nice but the buffet was a bit of a disappointment, the only consololation is that if you don't like the food that is on in the buffet you can ask for them to make you something, be prepared for a long wait though!

I would say that this hotel is more of a 3* rather than a 4* but if you go with this in mind you will have a good time.

The hotel has all british guests which is nice because you get to know lots of different people, but don't expect to lie in in the morning, you have to get up before 7am to put your towels out or you won't get a sun bed!

Loved the Sun Village

from anonymous

The Sun Village is a nice hotel located 20 minutes walking distance from the main Baga Beach or a short taxi ride which will cost only 50 rupees (83 rupees to £1 as of 20/03/05). The staff at the Sun Village are brilliant, they can not do enough for you. Food is excellent especially the Fragipani (BBQ) al a carte which operates on 2 days a week. You can choose between the buffet each day & an al a carte option except for the Gala nights held on a Monday & Friday on the Village Lawns which is a buffet with live show. The entertainment in general is OK however some acts are a little poor. If you like a bath in your room, diet coke & international spirits upgrade to the Superior room as all of these are included in the price. It also allows you to go to the al a carte restaurant every day they are open & priority reservations (let the reception know on arrival what time you like to eat & they will automatically make your reservations for you at the al a carte restaurants). The downsides are the location as the roads are best described as bumpy dust tracks which are one & half cars wide which make it a little un safe to walk around especially at night time as the roads are unlit. Secondly the hotel can be noisy at the night due to the design the noise amplifys from the poolside bar area & can go on to the early hours. Recommend this hotel but request a room at the front of the hotel & take a taxi to Baga Beach.

Fantastic!

from missshearer

We have just come back from spending our honeymoon at Sun Village. Everything about it was fantastic. The staff couldn't do more for you. The food selection at every meal was brilliant and as a vegetarian, that's saying something. Everywhere was clean including the pool. Possibly the only negative comment I could make was being kept awake at night. This was nothing to do with new hubby lol or the hotel. It was the few holiday makers who insisted in sitting around the poolside late at night even though there were signs asking people not to after 11pm in consideration of other guests.

Sun Village Hotel, Goa

from anonymous

Stayed in Sun Village Feb 20 - 27th and would highly recommend the hotel. Very pleasant rooms with good a.c. and facilities, 2 picturesque pools (though with a shortage of sun beds) and good food considering it is all-inclusive. Staff very welcoming and attentive. Recommend the a-la-carte bbq although note you need to book well in advance to be sure of a table

Recommend using the taxis outside of the hotel for trips - just tell them where you'd like to go and arrange a price in advance, the cost is very low. Temperatures more pleasant on the coast where a sea breeze usually prevails

The best holiday yet

from meg/jc

november 2004

this was one of the best 14 days holiday that my wife and myself have had in a long time the staff where so nice and caterd for your every whim we have visited many countrys but none have come up to the standerds of the sun village that is why we booked a return trip in november 2005 and are looking forward to it

Adored Sun Village

from juliemartin

Spent Christmas at Sun Village a wonderful hotel, excellant food, all the staff have impeccable manners. Goa itself is wonderful once you have got over the intial shock i.e. the roads, the haggling. Fantastic beaches if you want a quiet beach try Ashven for the more fun loving try Baga beach. The markets are fantastic. Can get your own taxi driver he will spend the whole day with you (very cheap) showing you the sights. Ours was called Nanoo, a lovely man. The best Holiday we have ever had. Can't wait to return to Sun Village next year.

Wonderfull hotel and staff

from GoanTravelers

We totally agree with Blackpool travellers about Sun Village, we have

been on 2 occasions the best was spending christmas and new year 2003 absolutely fantastic. we also made great friends with the staff and also the local taxi boys outside the hotel, in fact we have been writing to some of the hotel staff and Appy the taxi driver and i must

say we have just recieved some beutifull Christmas cards, and if it was not for lack of cash we would have returned this year.

Exceeded our expectations

from tetleygirl1

We have travelled to many places .Europe.Carribean, and the only thing we ever have anything negative to speak about is the entertainment. It is always a bit hit and miss.However,the entertainment at sun village was excellent.Very entertaining shows and really good solo artists. staff are not overpowering but are always happy to help.Rooms are spacious,comfortable and very clean. air con and fans are in good working order and are needed. The food is really nice,

both in buffet and a la carte restaurant. Pools are really warm and exceptionally clean. There is a quieter pool at the top of many steps. not good if you tire easily. Gardens are well maintained and the groundsmen are working hard all day every day to keep everywhere looking nice. All staff work extra hard and are genuinely happy to help. Would definately return to this hotel. Not too far away from the beach and taxis are on your doorstep. cost 50 rupees to beach. If you are looking for a relaxing time and enjoy meeting new people, this hotel will not dissappoint. Happy holidays.Alan & Anne. 23/11/04

Great place to go

from Sandrarw

Visited the Sun Village last December. This is the second time in Goa, and this was definitely the better option. Although not situated on the beach, there is a shuttle bus every hour (free), and taxis are just outside the hotel gate (very cheap). Although Baga beach was quite busy, and quite a few sellers, it was still a lovely beach. Back to the hotel - staff were friendly, nothing too much bother and always had a smile. Food was excellent, mostly buffet, but could go a la carte twice a week (had to be booked), barbecue once a week, and two outdoor gala nights each week - all good fun. There are two pools - one was definitely a lot quieter than the other, but both good and cleaned daily. Towels and sunbed provided free of charge. Rooms quite big and spacious, again very clean and tidy. Shower room/toilet also very spacious, and always clean towels. Not much for children, but if you are looking for a relaxing holiday, this is definitiely the place to go. The bar has a pool table and some form of entertainment most night - i.e. local entertainers, karaoke, etc. Pool table in the bar. The bar is only open at night, but there is a poolside bar open from 10 inthe morning unlimited drinks. Try the auyervedic massage (pay extra) - it is absolutely brilliant. There is also a beauty palour if you fancy a wee bit of pampering. If you want to explore, get a local taxi driver who will take you places much cheaper than through your travel company. And they will stay with all day, and point out all the local points of interest. You must spend time at Anjuna flea market - brilliant experience. Only bad point about this hotel - it is set onthe side of a hall and even the lowest floors have stairs to climb to get to them!!! However,y ou will feel fitter by the end of your stay because of this!!We would definitely return to this hotel without any hesitation.

TripAdvisor Reviews Pride Sun Village Resort And Spa Arpora

Very Good

Travel Blogs from Arpora

... beach? We grabbed a sun bed, couldn't believe the amount of Indian people walking passed pretending to be on their phones or having them by the side of their hips filming everyone sunbathing because we are white! Stupid Russian girl next to us started shaking her bum dancing and accepted to having a photo with an Indian couple... Well they don't just come in two then do they! There was that many they blacked my sun! Masses of them! She liked herself a lot. ...

... of the Brits was this, Sunil said that just like us, if the British said they would use you for the big lifts to the airport or railway station, they did. So there you go British tourists, please keep this tradition going as it gives us a good reputation here.

Now we were at the Margao Railway Station.......with a mere 5 hours to wait. This was going to be either boring or interesting. It turned out to be both. ...

... way home. We do, but surprise, surprise he’s not there. The infant gets him on the phone and I have a conversation that only he understands.

Ram, our faithful tuk tuk driver, of course knows someone who can help us. He takes us to a store (upmarket this time, built of composite board) where his friend sells dongles to idiot foreigners like us all the time. I detect a look of revulsion on his face as we darken his doorway, ...

... and waited, And waited ....and waited ...then after about 40 minutes, I had to accept that although the light was on the kettle, it really was just for decoration and was never actually gonna heat owt up. The hotel was situated close to the airport on a busy dual carriageway with 3 lanes either side. The following morning I got in the taxi for the airport, which, incidentally, was in the opposite direction to the way the three lanes of traffic were all going ...

... travel. .After the beach we had a few hours at the pool, which was very pleasant. There are a lot of Indian families staying at our hotel, and it was really nice watching several of the them enjoying playing in the pool, but once again I find the restrictions placed on women by religion very difficult to understand. The husbands were in the pool (in their undies & vests) playing with the children and having a great ...